The Food Systems for Healthier Diets (FSHD) program is a flagship under the A4NH CGIAR research program. It seeks to contribute to healthier diets for poor and vulnerable populations through a better understanding of food system-diet dynamics and through identifying and enabling innovations in value chains and policies. The present study aimed to systematically and methodically document, analyze, and synthesize the FSHD program’s key learnings that emerged over the course of its implementation (2017-2022). This “learning journey” captured lessons learned within and between FSHD Clusters of Activities and within and between four focal countries (Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Vietnam). A combination of document review, interviews (with program team members, key researchers and country coordinators), an online survey (among research partners in the focal countries) and consultative workshops was used to collect these lessons. This report presents the lessons learned across nine learning questions. It provides conclusions on food systems research for healthier and sustainable diets, as well as on programming for this type of research, to help nurture future food systems research.

This report is commissioned by the International Plant Protection Commission (IPPC) and is the result of a literature review on the effects of plant pests on the IP strategic objectives, as well as interviews and document review on the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) mechanisms of the SPS community. The review shows that there is evidence that the prevention of pests contributes to IPPC’s strategic objectives: enhancing global food security and sustainable agriculture productivity; protecting the environment; and facilitating safe trade, development, and economic growth. However, the context is very important and requires context specific interventions. In particular low-income countries struggle to reduce plant pests and need support in this to help them to also contribute to these overarching objectives. The review also shows that the different SPS organisations have different mechanisms in place for monitoring and evaluation, and these are generally not embedded in a formal monitoring and evaluation system. There is need for more attention to monitoring and evaluation in support of adaptive management of the SPS organisations, that work in often complex environments.

This report presents the key highlights and contributions from the conference ‘Monitoring and Evaluation for Inclusive and Sustainable Food Systems’. This conference was held on 3-4 April 2019 in Wageningen, the Netherlands and was the twelfth annual ‘M&E on the Cutting Edge’ conference. This event was organised by Wageningen Centre for Development Innovation (WCDI) in collaboration with Wageningen Economic Research and the Food & Business Knowledge Platform. This conference aimed to seek clarity in the role that monitoring and evaluation can play to support the transition toward inclusive and sustainable food systems.

This report presents the key highlights and contributions from the conference ‘Communicating Evidence for Sustainable Development’. This conference was held on 4-5 April 2018 in Wageningen, the Netherlands and was the eleventh annual ‘M&E on the Cutting Edge’ conference. This event was organised by Wageningen Centre for Development Innovation (WCDI). This conference aimed to seek clarity in the role that communication can play in generating and using evidence for sustainable development

This guide is about managing development initiatives and organizations towardssustainable development impact. It builds on the work of Guijt and Woodhill inthe 2002 IFAD publication Managing for Impact in Rural Development: A Guide for Project M&E. Since then, the managing for sustainable development impact (m4sdi) approach has evolved with insights and feedback from CDI colleagues, clients, partners, and over 800 people who have been trained in its use. In addition, the authors have drawn on the work of many others. M4SDI is an integrated, results-oriented management approach, which can beused across a range of sectors and domains in a variety of contexts, and aimsto contribute towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It seeks tointegrate ideas and practices from a range of approaches and methodologies forplanning, monitoring and evaluation, using appropriate methods or tools thatengage people in a process of learning and adaptation. It is specifically aimedat strengthening the readiness of leaders, decision-makers and developmentpractitioners to effectively manage their initiatives/organizations in complexsettings. m4sdi belongs to a special niche of management approaches, providingrelevant perspectives on what makes for effective management for those directlyinvolved in managing initiatives/organizations and wider groups of stakeholders.Many of the people trained in m4sdi have become believers and practitionersof the approach because it addresses several of the most serious concerns indevelopment, such as the difficulty in reaching primary stakeholders, designingeffective strategies and related monitoring and evaluation (M&E), focusing oncapacity development and change management, and achieving sustainabledevelopment impact. The strength of m4sdi lies in its people-centred approach and how it seeks to integrate management processes within a complex environment. The evolvement of the approach needs to be documented to share lessons learned and support capacity development. And so the principles and practices covered in this guide relate to a variety of development initiatives/organizations in the fields of agriculture, food security, local economic development, value chains, Enterprise development, and ecosystem governance. Much of the discussion takes place within the often complex context of development. As such, the guide aims to find a good balance between comprehensiveness and the principle of ‘less is more’.